Ladder



Dec. 9, 1930.

M. BAUER LADDER Filed Nov. 6. 1929 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 MARTIN BAUER, or LAKEWOOD, CLEVELAND, OHIO LADDER Application filed November My invention relates to improvementsin.

ladders and while capable of applic'ationsto ladders generally has particular reference to the elongated type of ladder which is employed as an element of scaffolding by painters and other outside workmen.

It is a well known fact that after a certain period of use the rungs have a tendency to work loose in the holes or sockets in the side members. Thus, especially in a long ladder, the same has a tendency to sway or rock side ways,which condition frequently results in a workman losing his footing on ascafi old board, which is supported .by the ladder; To overcome the tendency of the rungs to work loose it has been the practice to wedge the rungs very tightly into the side members. However, this results. in the side members splitting either during the operation of inserting the rung end therein, or as a result of a climatic or atmospheric condition after the ladder has gone into use. g

It is, therefore, the primary'object of my invention to provide means which will not only prevent the rung from working loose in the socket or hole in the side member of the ladder, but which will efficiently prevent splitting of the side members at any time.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a ladder,or rather in the rung and side member connection.novel means which will expose certain surfaces of the rung and its side member socket to air so as to permit the same to dry out quickly and to allow room for expansion from moisture or other causes, if need be. r

The invention further contemplates a novel rung and side member connection for ladders which will be very simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easily installed, and highly efficient in practical use.

The invention also contemplates certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts and various modes of operation, all of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying drawing in connection with the detailed description appearing hereinafter.

6, 1929. Serial No. 405,195. 1

'While the drawing illustrates what is now regarded as a preferred mechanical expression of the invention, yetit will beunderstood that the device herein illustrated is merely to be taken as an example,and; in

-nowise limitative It. is obvious that the claims comprehend various alternative constructions for carrying out the objects referred to hereinabove. e

In the drawing, 1 Figure 1 is an elevational view illustratingaportion of a ladder constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the ladder; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sockete-d rung end and fitting elements taken I on line M ofFigure 1;

line 55 of-Figure, 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken angles to the line of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the fitting members.

.Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts in all views, numeral 1 denotes the side members or sills of the ladder,the same having the holes or sockets 2 for receiving the reduced rounded ends 3 of the rungs 3 which, as usual, connect or tie together, in spaced rela- Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the i at right tionship, the side members 1.

Manifestly, if the ends 3 of the rungs are made of substantially the same size as the socket holes 2 and are driven thereinto,.the

side members are very apt to split along the grain due to the lateral pressure of the ends 8 when being driven in place. Of course, no damage can come from pressure exerted in the direction of the grain of the side membersl. a In carrying out my invention, the ends 3 of the rungs are, preferably made so as to have a rather loose fit in the holes 2, although both the rungends 3 and the holes 2 are preferably true circles. At the inner surface of each side member 1, I provide the run confining members 5, which have plate-1i e exinserted into-the holes 2 I In other words,

- wedging,

Z0, v member-s5 will occupyeonly about90 of the 85 bers 5 exert a mitt tensions5 ofarcual cross sections, which are metrically opposite one another againstthe grain; In other words, one of the arcual plate extensions 5 will'be at the top of the 1 hole and the other directly opposite at the 7 bottom of the hole. Thus, the holes 2will be reduced in diameter in the direction of the length of I 1 1o directionof the Width of said sidemembers.

the holes2 areof unreduced the side members 1, but not in-the dimension-transversely of the members 1. Thus, 7 member 3 is forced into place therewlll be a ressure only in the direction of the length 0 the side member 1 and it will be impossible to split the; member because there P v V p wallsthereof a ainstthe grain for reducing f the diameter 0 said sockets in the direction is no wedging pressure exerted laterally, or with thegraim'soto speak. Z Of course, the'arcuate extensions 5 of the diameter of holes 2.

I It will be clearly seen from the drawing that'the'members 5 have an arcual body 5 as disposed against the inner surface of the side members 1 about the holes 2 and slightly outwardly of'the marginal or rim of said holes. The body portions 5? of the members 5 have the appearance of segments'or portions of a i :0 -socket, and in fact the two members or body 7 portions 5".when arranged inposition, as shown, do cooperate to provide a socket for receiving the r duced end 35.

sure rungs adjacent its socketed end.

Each of the members 5 has its body portion 5 provided with which is screwed or" otherwise fastened as at 6 to the surface of the side member 1 ofthe ladder. The plate portions 5 have the appearance of tongues, as shown.

Th b 5 f bl "d f e mem as are pre era y ma 6 0 1 half the circumference of said sockets whereby to leave a ventilation space at eachside steel, aluminum' or similar material, although they may be made of other substance within thespirit'and scope of theinvention. {As I 60 devices 5 'is' a s mplecasting or stamping problem and they may be made in whatever. way seems most expe ient. I

"It'will ,be-clear from the drawing and description that after, the rungs have been socket-ed inthe holes 2 and the securingelements'5, 5 em loyed as aforesaid, a small s ace will be 1e t, as indicated at 8, at opposite sides of the reduced rung end 3 to allow same to-expand and exposing the socket and a mm end 3" to air so that the same will read ily.

.l'will bedirectly against the grain of the sidef members, thus, obviating anylikelihood f P g the same.

and disposed diawhen thejreduced end?) of the rung ung portion adjacent the re-- The portions 5*of the 'mem-' binding and supporting pres; against the unreduced portion .of thef a supporting bracket plate iziyout. All weight a'ndpressure transe fromthe rungs 3 to the side members j acent the inner normally bears against the unreduced portion of rung 3. However, when the reduced rung end 3 has partially rotted out such flange art of 5" will enter space betweenmember 1 andthe shoulder at inner end 3 of the re-.

duced rung portion to supportrung and apprise the owner that repairsare necessary. Having thus described my invention, what I" claim 'as new a'nd desire to secure by Letiters Patent is: I r V QIQIn a ladder comprising side members having rungsocketstherein, and rungs connecting saidside members and enterin said sockets; apair of opposed Mann take-up lates withinsaid sockets and engaging the of the length of said side members, the arc face ofthe side memberl of each of said plates being less than one-half the circumference ,ofsaid sockets whereby to I leave a'ventilation'space at eachside of the inserted rung end and to allow for spreading of the same, the sockets being slightly oversize with'respect torthe ends. of said rungs I between said plate members being slightl less than the diameter of the;

Y and the; space rung ends w ereby thesame may be driven into said socketsbetween said platemembers and the pressure incident to such driving be-' ing exerted against the grain wherebyto obviate the possibility of splitting the side .member'san very tight fit of therungs in the sockets;

2. In a ladder comprising side members necting said sidemembers and enterin said pair of opposed arcual take-up.

sockets a plates within said sockets and engaging the walls thereof against the grain for reducing the diameter of said sockets in the direction of the length of said side members, the arc of each of said plates being less than onespreading of the d at the same time toprovide a 1 having run socketsitherein, and. rungs con- 1 same, the sockets being slightly oversize with respect to the endsof said rungs and the space between said plate members being slightly less thanthe diameter of'the" rung ends wherebythefsame may be driven into said sockets between said plate members and the pressure incident to suc-h driving being exerted against the grain whereby toobviate the possibilityof splitting the side members and at the same time to provide a very tight fit of the rungs in the sockets, tongue portions carried by said plate membersandadapted to be secured to the side members adjacent the rung sockets therein.

3. In "a ladder comprising sidemem'bers having rungsockets therein, and rungs connesting said side members and entering said sockets; a pair of opposed arcual take-up plates within said sockets and engaging the walls thereof against the grain for reducing the diameter of said sockets in the direction of the length of said side members, the arc of each of said plates being less than one-half the circumference of said sockets whereby to leave a ventilation space at each side of the inserted rung end and to allow for spreading of the same, the sockets being slightly oversize with respect to the ends of said rungs and the space between said plate members being slightly less than the diameter of the rung ends whereby the same may be driven into said sockets between said plate members and the pressure incident to such driving being exerted against the grain whereby to obviate the possibility of splitting the side members and at the same time to provide a very tight fit of the rungs in the sockets, each of said plate members having a segmental socket-like portion disposed at the inner surface of the side member adjacent the rung socket thereof, said segmental socket-like portions disposed diametrically opposite one another and providing a socket-like support for the rung adjacent the end thereof.

4. In a ladder comprising side members having rung sockets therein, and rungs connecting said side members and entering said sockets; a pair of opposed arcual take-up plates within said sockets and engaging the walls thereof against the grain for reducing the diameter of said sockets in the direction of the length of said side members, the are of each of said plates being less than onehalf the circumference of said sockets whereby to leave a ventilation space at each side of the inserted rung end and to allow for spreading of the same, the sockets being slightly over-size with respect to the ends of said rungs and the space between said plate members being slightly less than the diameter of the rung ends whereby the same may be driven into said sockets between said plate members and the pressure incident to such driving being exerted against the grain whereby to obviate the possibility of splitting the side members and at the same time to provide a very tight fit of the rungs in the sockets, each of said plate members hav ing a segmental socket-like portion disposed at the inner surface of the side member adjacent the rung socket thereof, said segmental socket-like portions disposed diametrically opposite one another ind providing a socket-like support for the rung adjacent the end thereof, and an attaching portion carried by each of said segmental socket portions and adapted to be secured to the side member of the ladder.

5. In a ladder comprising side members having sockets therein and rungs connecting said side members and entering said sockets, means for reducing the dimension of the socket across the grain and in the direction of the length of the side member, the lateral dimension of said means being less than onehalf of the circumference of said socket, whereby to leave a ventilation space at each side of the inserted rung end and to allow for spreading of the same.

6. In a ladder comprising side members having sockets therein and rungs connecting said side members and entering said sockets, a socket reduction element comprising a segmental plate adapted to be inserted into a socket and having an'arc less than one-half the circumference of said socket, a segmental supporting portion disposed outwardly of said first mentioned portion and positionable adjacent the edge of the socket, and an attaching tongue carried by said last mentioned portion.

7. Ina ladder comprising side members having sockets therein and rungs connecting said side members and entering said sockets, segmental plates for reducing the dimension of the socket in the direction of the length of the side member and disposed against the grain of the wood, said plates disposed diametrically opposite one another, and the arcual span of each plate being less than onehalf the circumference of the socket whereby to leave lateral rung-spread-permitting and ventilation spaces.

8. In a ladder comprising side members having sockets therein and rungs connecting said side members and entering said sockets, segmental plates for reducing the dimension of the socket in the direction of the length of the side member and disposed against the grain of the wood, the arc of each plate being less than One-half the circumference of said socket whereby to leave a rung-spread-- permitting and ventilation space at each side of the inserted rung.

9. In a ladder comprising side members having sockets therein and rungs connecting said side members and entering said sockets, a socket reduction element comprising a segmental plate adapted to be inserted into the socket, a segmental supporting portion disposed outwardly of said first mentioned portion and positionable adjacent the edge of the socket, said segmental supporting portion being of channel-like cross-section and having a flange lying against the adjacent surface of said side member whereby to engage the socketed end of the rung upon rotting out thereof, said plates having an are less than one-half the circumference of said socket whereby to leave a rung-spread-permitting and ventilation space at each side of the inserted rung.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

MARTIN AUER. 

